


Stars for Astronomers

by orangetree



Category: South Park
Genre: Band Fic, Falling In Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-18 18:21:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16522289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orangetree/pseuds/orangetree
Summary: Stan Marsh wanted two things in life, his band to be something worth not going to college for and Craig Tucker to fall in love with him. One of those things came easy, the other is a work in progress





	Stars for Astronomers

“We’re definitely ready for this.” Kenny had his hands on Stan Marsh’s shoulders. Stars for Astronomers was playing their first show. A house party thrown by some senior footballer. Stan had to beg, borrow and plead for him to even give him a chance. Stan wrote all the lyrics, sang lead vocals and played lead guitar. Lola Parker sang traded vocals with Stan, played the rhythm guitar and wrote the melodies and harmonies. They harmonized well together, she was talented as he was. Tweek Tweak played the keyboards, Token Black the bass and Kenny was on drums. They were going to play to a crowd of popular kids who probably wouldn't get their vision, but this was the stepping stone.

“If this goes well, we can get other gigs.” Lola was twisting her hair up in a complicated braided hair style. She smeared glitter on her cheeks and eyes and teasing held her index finger up to Token’s cheekbone. They wore their coolest indie best, they were ready for anything.

Stan nervously stepped on stage and looked out at the crowd comprised of kids he had known his entire life. Kyle and Butters waved at him from their position right in the front of the makeshift stage. Clyde Donovan was seated next to Bebe Stevens, holding her compact mirror up so she could fix her winged eyeliner. Wendy Testaburger was in a deep conversation with Heidi Turner and Red Tucker. Cartman was pumping two cups of keg beer, one for him and one for Heidi, they had been on and off since elementary school, this was an on period. His eyes fell on one person, Craig Tucker. Craig Tucker had been his muse and his dream since the eighth grade. He was a musician too, played the viola since the fifth grade and Stan would secretly attend all the orchestras’ performances. He was first chair and he played so beautifully. He looked beautiful when he played, the passion that radiated from him. His big dark eyes closed sometimes, he played from memory. His fingers moved on their own, it made him feel something in his chest. 

Craig was standing there drinking a red solo cup of keg beer, shrugging off his boyfriend’s arm off his bony shoulder. Craig had been in a cold war with his boyfriend JP Hanna for the past two weeks. They had been playing breakup chicken. Neither of them willing to actually do the dirty work, both of them wanting out of a failing relationship. Stan watched them having one of those silent couple’s argument with their eyes. 

“We’re Stars for Astronomers and this is our first show.” Stan Marsh closed his own eyes and started in on their first song. When he finally had the courage to open them he looked right into the big dark eyes of Craig Tucker. The universe was telling him to sing to Craig Tucker. Sing all the songs Craig Tucker inspired. Sing about big brown eyes, soft freckled cheeks. The way he imagined sweet smelling black hair would look on a worn cotton pillow case. Sing about the boys who never quite made the mark and definitely didn't know what they had. Sing everything to Craig Tucker and watch as his eyes grew even larger, he was starry eyed listening to their music. 

“Thank you everyone, once again we’re Stars for Astronomers, please check out our instagram and band camp page.” He murmured into the microphone before someone’s crappy playlist started. He was shaking when he came off stage, but the good shaking like when he received Sparky from his parents as a kid or when he met Kyle for the first time. This rush of the great unknown, but it was great for a reason. Kenny’s hand was on his sweaty back and when the five of them were out of sight, they all let out a collective breath. They did this. They played their first show, people liked them. 

“You played really well Stan.” Stan closed his eyes when he heard that voice behind him. It could have been Clyde, it could have been. But it was Craig, he was giving him a little closed mouth smile on his soft looking pink lips. His eyes were wide and his hair was neatly combed under his blue chullo hat. He still wore it, it was the familiar among the unfamiliar. It was Craig.

“Thanks Craig.” They weren't rivals anymore, the groups had long blended together since middle school. Stan wasn’t the leader anymore anyways, he had long stopped caring about that sort of thing. Kyle had stepped up to fill that role, becoming more and more outspoken about so many things. He didn't mind it, it was easy to let someone just take over. As he drifted away from sports and towards music, everything else started to feel extraneous. Neither Craig nor Stan seemed to care about their elementary school rivalry anyways, both had grown in different directions. 

Lola Parker was a blessing. They had jazz band together, the only two guitarists. The jazz music was cool, but they both wanted more. They started to write together outside of their music class. She was the first person he let read anything he had written, she encouraged him. They discovered their voices blended well together and where he could write words, he lacked in melodies. She lacked in words, but more than made up in writing the music side of things. They were the perfect creative partnership.

“Who are you writing about? Wendy?” She put the sheet music down and looked over at him. He was going through his middle school awkward phase. Acne, squeaking cracking voice. He pulled his black beanie over his greasy dark hair. He knew this song wasn’t about Wendy, he had long been over Wendy. Their elementary school breakup wasn’t of any surprise, she was going in one direction and he in the other. He would see her in passing, walking with Heidi Turner, discussing science that made his head hurt. There was no drama, they realized they weren’t a good fit anymore. He still said hello to her in the hallways and vice verse. She was still one of the most awe inspiring people he had ever met, he felt really grateful he had the chance to get to know her. He had found someone new to fill that space in his heart.

They were packing up their guitars and getting ready to leave the music room when Craig Tucker walked in. He hadn’t really talked to him in ages. They all ate lunch together, but they didn’t have any classes together anymore. He was on the accelerated path with Wendy and Kyle. He had the same worn down Fjallraven blue kanken backpack with the nasa and red racer pins. He still wore a blue chullo style hat and carried his viola like it was something precious. He was something precious and he made Stan’s heart and his dick ache. He was NOT going through an awkward phase, at least not to Stan. He was gangly and thin. Dark neat hair, big dark eyes. He was chewing on a purple pen as he searched through his music locker. He had on a big fair isle ugly looking christmas sort of sweater that Laura Tucker bought for him every year. He tugged at his backpack straps and Stan felt like he tugged at his heart, it was so dramatic being thirteen years old. Everything seemed so epic, so life or death when it came to crushes. Craig adjusted the big dj style headphones over his ears and ignore them as he was lost in Band of Horses. Stan could hear the Funeral, it was one of his favourite songs too and he longed to tell Craig Tucker this.

“Hey Craig.” Lola nudged his bony shoulder with hers and he nodded at her in greeting. Stan felt his mouth go dry and he just squeaked out a hello as Craig grabbed his blue coat and his sheet music and left without saying hello or goodbye to him. Even though he had on his big beats headphones, it still stung. It felt like the sort of rejection he still wasn’t used to at this young age. 

Craig Tucker lived in Stan Marsh’s brain and in his music. He knew it would have been so much easier just to tell him he liked him. He understood this through their first year of high school, when they were in the music program together. Something they shared that most of their lunch table didn’t. They ate lunch together and carpooled together, he spent most of his time watching Craig Tucker looking out the window, missing half of what Kyle was talking about. He had so many opportunities to talk to him about something other than video games or the math teacher that was apparently so unfair according to Kyle and Craig. She was always a very dramatic topic over tater tots and weird square pizza. She assigned at least fifty math problems a night, didn't she realise that they had other homework? Kyle was convinced she was out to get him and was trying to get Craig on this paranoia train too. He had plenty of time to talk to him during their sophomore year when Red asked him who was he asking to homecoming and he told her no one. He made sure Craig knew he was taking no one, he looked right at him and told her no one. He could have told Craig Tucker he was his muse before he started talking to the junior boy who hung around his locker before and after school. JP Hanna was Craig’s first real boyfriend since Jeff Hammond in the seventh grade. He was a wrench in Stan Marsh’s plans, but on the upside, he did get many of songs out of this heartbreak. He could have told him before this year, when Lola asked him if he wanted to play together more. He could have told him before he started Stars for Astronomers and they unknowingly played song after song about Craig Tucker. 

“Craig broke up with JP.” Kenny told him at lunch that Monday, slamming down his lunch tray and making his pizza jump. “This is it dude. He likes our band, he’s hot and there is no more boyfriend. No more being a fucking puss, just talk to him at the next party.” Stan needed a little liquid courage clearly. He remembered puking on Wendy Testaburger every time he tried to talk to her. If he had just a little bit to drink, maybe he would avoid this. He had to have grown out of that though right? He had to hope so.

Esther Stoley paid them two pizzas, their own bedroom to use as a dressing room and first keg privileges to play her sweet 16 birthday party. They were warming up in her twin brother Kevin’s bedroom when Kenny brought them all their first cup of beer. 

“First beer dude, tonight is the night.“ Kenny and Lola were the most encouraging wing people he ever had. Even more so than Kyle, whom still assumed he was hung up on Wendy, not that he was ready to tell him otherwise. He drowned that first cup and after their performance, three more. By the time he saw Craig not flanked by Clyde or Tweek, he was drunk. He was so drunk and he was brave and stupid. Two things that didn’t normally mix, but here we are. He stood in front of Craig Tucker, wearing a big navy blue sweater, his beat up converse on his feet. The same converse he had since their freshman year, He recognised the stars and moons he remembered him drawing one day during lunch. He took a deep breath and stood in front of Craig Tucker who started to tell him how much he liked his band. He told him how much he liked his lyrics and how he liked the cover of Joyce Manor’s Constant Headache he played just for him. He didn’t know that part, but he made Kenny find out his favourite song and that was it. He felt the blood pounding in his ears and suddenly his mouth filled with warm spit. He didn’t mean to, he would look back at this moment and it would make his body go into a full body cringe. He puked on Craig Tucker like he puked on Wendy Testaburger all those years ago. Craig’s wide brown eyes went even wider if that was possible and stepped back but it was too late. 

“Craig I'm sorry, let me help you clean up.” He grabbed a paper towel but Craig jerked away from him. He had puked all down his sweater, pooling into his shoes. It splattered onto his face and it smelled like cheap keg beer and pepperoni pizza. It was the worst thing that had ever happened to him and in this town that was saying something.

“Its fine, I think Im just going to go.” He pulled his sweater off carefully, trying not to get any puke on his gray t shirt he had on underneath. He watched him grab Clyde Donovan’s arm and they went to leave. He watched Clyde put his letter jacket over Craig’s shoulders so he wouldn’t get cold on the drive home. He closed his eyes for a moment and realized that was it. He blew his shot. He couldn’t believe it, it was all over now. He spent the rest of the party moping, sitting between Kenny and Kyle and brooding about the chance he couldn’t take. 

Craig Tucker left him a note in his locker on monday in neat script. “You owe me a new sweater and another cover of Joyce Manor.” Stan turned the paper over in his hands, his bitten down fingernails lightly gliding over the notebook paper. Craig Tucker wasn’t that angry at him, he liked his sound, he forgave him for puking on his navy blue sweater, which he will replace at a later date. He stood outside his window that night, he always went for the grandest gesture. He had his beat up old acoustic guitar with him and he sang Falling in Love Again and Craig looked out his window at him. He smiled at him and gave him the finger. But it was a start, a good start. He sneaked downstairs and let Stan Marsh into the quiet neatness of the Tucker house. It was always quiet, it was warm and smelled like vanilla. Stan followed him up the stairs silently, tip toeing past Trisha’s room, door closed, the thumping bass of Kendrick Lamar coming through the floor. He shut the door of his bedroom silently and lead Stan to the bed. God he hoped they were going to have sex, he felt it radiating through his core, through his limbs. Craig Tucker was a dream in baggy blue pinstripe pajama pants and an old Red Racer tee shirt. He had no hat on and Stan wondered what his hair felt like underneath his finger tips. 

“Thank you for the song.” Craig let him sit on his galaxy printed duvet, in his teen dream bedroom of blue walls and glow in the dark stars on the ceiling. The white fairy lights on the headboard made everything glow like a supernatural daydream that Stan hoped he never woke up from. Indie band poster adorning the walls, Stan made a mental note to check out some of these bands later. “I think you're really talented Stan, your lyrics make me feel something.” They were sitting across from each other pretzel style. His eyes were shining in the low light, Stan reached out and put his calloused fingertips on his soft, curved cheek. Craig had old fashioned metal braces with blue brackets and freckles across the nape of his nose and across his cheeks like constellations. Craig closed his eyes like he was soaking in his touch. He sat like that for a moment and so did Stan. They ended up listening to music and talking in hushed tones all night. He woke up on Craig’s duvet with his arms around Craig’s waist holding him close. It was the beginning of something very important, he knew this. Craig made his heart race, his mind calm and his dick hard, that’s all you can ask for in this world sometimes.

He wrote the Boy With the Stars in his Eyes for Craig Tucker. He played the most basic melody on his acoustic guitar for Lola at 9:05 on Saturday morning. It was early and she was blurry eyed, but he needed to play it right now. She worked out the melody and they sang it together in his artfully out of tune tone and her sweet voice. He wanted to sing it to Craig and she wanted him to never stop writing these lovely tunes. They were the perfect creative partnership.

He invited Craig Tucker over to listen to records that next weekend. The slight hiss of the needle hitting the vinyl and the opening bars of the Front Bottoms flowing over his bedroom in languid waves. Craig looked relaxed, he laid back on his comforter and closed his eyes. Stan felt his heart beat as he looked over at him and laid down next to him. Their arms pressed together, the softness of Craig’s sweater against his skin. He reached down and put his hand in Craig’s and pressed their palms together. Their fingers laced together, innocently like children. 

“I want to play you something.” Stan told him softly. He reached over and took the needle off the record. They both sat up so they were facing each other and Stan played him the Boy With the Stars in his Eyes. He belonged among the cosmos. Craig belong among the cosmos. The melody was gentle and lilting. Filled the room with the softness of first love and the gentle yearnings of a boy who wanted nothing more than to put his heart out there. Craig’s eyes were large and lovely and when he finished playing his song, he leaned in and kissed him. It was shy and tentative, the gentle exploring of his mouth. He pulled Craig Tucker’s skinny, gangly body into his lap and kissed him for all he was worth. He was worth everything in that moment. This was everything he had wanted since the eighth grade. He put his calloused hands on his skinny hips and just squeezed, pulling Craig’s hips to his. Craig rolled his hips against his, wrapping his skinny legs around him, straddling him. He thrust up between Craig’s legs with purpose. With the great intent to cause him pleasurable, sweet friction. He put his mouth on Craig’s throat and it was like heaven. It was heaven to be between Craig Tucker’s legs. He thrust up harder, the layers of clothing between them was criminal and he was about to remedy this when his father, who had never learned how to knock, burst in his bedroom alternating between trying to bond with him or ranting at him, it was always a surprise with Randy Marsh.

Craig looked over his shoulder liked a deer caught in the headlights and Stan held him protectively to him. This was clearly about to be humiliating, it always was with his father.

“Dad get the fuck out of here.” He told him through gritted teeth and the disappointment of blue balls directly on his brain. His erection strained against the front of his jeans and he wondered if tossing Craig on the bed and locking himself in the bathroom for sweet relief was the right way to go about this little problem. Craig rolled off him, hiding his red face and grabbing his navy blue wool toggle coat and running past Mr. Marsh.

“Was that Thomas Tucker’s son?” He asked Stan interested.”Do I need to have a talk with you about protection and safe sex?” He asked him seriously. Thomas Tucker’s son huh? He remembered when he dated that odd spazzy kid. He thought if Stan was going to end up with a boy, it would have been his buddy Kyle. Stan just purposely turned up the record so he couldn’t hear him and turned his back so he couldn’t see his father. For now, it was one interruption, one distraction. Next time, he would be smart enough to lock the door. 

Stan would update the instagram for Stars for Astronomers. Sometimes it would be pictures, sometimes lyrics to their music. It was an online presence that brought them a real paying gig at a college party. They did a few of their own songs and mostly covers. But it was a paying gig and he looked out at those college kids, drunk off cheap keg beer, not paying any real attention to them and he saw Craig. He was standing there clutching Clyde’s hand, they still held hands like children. His eyes were wide, there were stars in them. He was the boy with the stars in his eyes. He rushed forward when Stan came off stage and tossed himself into his arms. They kissed like Stan was a real rock star and he could feel his heart beating in his ears . 

“You're the most talented person I have ever met.” Craig told him between gentle pecks of his soft lips. The pecks were chaste, after being caught in his room, everything they did was chaste. He didn’t care, he would have just held hands like children with him if he wanted. Craig was his biggest fan, when Stan went to grab them both drinks, he came back to some older boy talking to him. He knew interest when he saw it. He leaned in close and pushed Craig’s black hair behind his tan ears. 

“My boyfriend is the most talented person I've ever met.” He told him seriously. He was on the way to being drunk. “I know he’s going to be the next Lou Reed.” He completely misread this man’s intentions. He was not hear to talk about Stan Marsh’s musical abilities. He was here to try to get into a sixteen year old’s pants. 

“Here’s your drink baby.” Stan made a point to put his arm around him. Made a point to let this drunken asshole with the stupid Rick and Morty shirt know that this beautiful boy was taken. The boy who liked everything Stars for Astroner’s instagram did, who championed him like no other did. Craig Tucker was his. They belonged to each other. From the first song he had written, Craig was his. 

The summer before their senior year they were in Craig’s bedroom. The sound of classical music playing gently. Stars for Astronomers had played eight shows that summer. Some were paying, some were not. All were getting their name out there. They had added three more original songs, Lola encouraging him. Lola rivaled Craig for Stan’s biggest cheerleader. He was laying on Craig’s galaxy printed duvet, listening to Craig play the viola. He was playing Romeo and Juliet by Sergei Prokofiev, it was so beautiful. Craig was beautiful playing beautiful music with beautiful passion. It radiated from him, casting the same sort of spell the glowing fairy lights of the first night did. He loved listening to Craig play as much Craig loved listening to him play. 

“I have a surprise for you, turn around please.” He dutifully turned around and set his eyes on a Modern Baseball poster on Craig’s blue wall. He heard the rustling of clothing and he prayed for sex or at the very least naked Craig. He was a patient man, they hadn’t gone beyond making out and dry humping each other hoping for friction. He wasn’t going to rush Craig, they had to do this on their own time. But naked Craig would be the most lovely of surprises. 

“You can turn around now.” Craig’s monotone had this edge of excitement. It always bled into the edge of his words and made everything turn up at the ends. Stan turned around and Craig wasn’t wearing the navy blue nasa shirt he had previously been wearing. He had on a soft looking white tee shirt with Stars for Astronomers in bold blue and yellow writing. In the center of the t shirt was a cartoonish looking dog with a pink collar. He recognized both the dog and the collar, Sparky. Craig made their first piece of merch. He used his deceased but well loved dog Sparky as the mascot. He felt this warmth flow from his chest into his limbs and he felt the hot sting of tears in the corner of his eyes. 

“You did this for me?” He reached out and rubbed his calloused hands over Craig’s skinny arms and rubbed them up and down. “You took your time and did this for us?” He gently pulled him into his arms and hugged him to his chest. 

“I love your music and you need merch, people want to rep the band.” He wrapped his arms around the back of Stan’s neck and leaned in and kissed his cheeks gently. Stan took a few pictures of Craig in the tshirt and sent them to the rest of the band. They all pitched in and bought their first round of merchandise. They felt like a real band, they were going to sell these like a real band. The prophets would be used for a next round of merch and then the next. They had a plan, Stan felt they were onto something, people were starting to ask about them, where they could hear more of their music.

Craig sat at a little table in the back of their latest show, a little lockbox for their cash. Their one tee shirt on display, along with a little flier on where you could listen to their band camp page. He dutifully handed out change and talked up the band. Craig Tucker loved Stars for Astronomers so much, he loved them as much as he loved any of his other favourite bands. He put up instax photos of them he took at their shows on his walls. He would listen to Stan and Lola try out the bare bones songs before they went off to Tweek, Token and Kenny to fill them out. He laid on Stan’s bed as he wrote for him. He had never inspired anything in anyone before, it made his heart beat faster. Stan Marsh made his heart beat faster.

“Have you started your college applications?” Craig was sitting between Stan’s legs on the floor as they played Mario Party. He felt him stiffen, he had no plans for college, he had no plans outside of the band or Craig. He buried his face in the back of Craig’s neck, breathing in the sweet citrus scent of Craig’s hair. He nuzzled at the side of his neck, hoping he could distract him. He liked to to distract him, he didn't want to think about Craig going away to college. He applied to Vassar, University of Colorado Denver, University of Michigan, Haverford College in Pennsylvania and Oberlin. He could lose him to anyone of those schools and that made his stomach drop. He tightened his grip on Craig and took the controller out of his hand, tossing it aside. 

“Let's worry about this later.” He murmured against Craig’s skin. He felt Craig nestle back into his arms and close his dark eyes. He felt Craig’s easy breathing against his chest, the total relaxation of being with someone you trust so wholeheartedly. He never doubted how Craig felt about him. That he didn’t love him completely, that his guard wasn’t one hundred percent down around him. That he trusted him with everything, he could see it written in those big dark eyes. He tightened his arms around him and placed him so he was lying comfortably against him. Craig eventually turned around in his arms and nestle against his chest. He heard his bedroom door open and his mom poked her head in.

“Do you want me to heat up the leftover soup and make you each a grilled cheese sandwich?” She whispered to him. As Randy Marsh wasn’t a great dad, Sharon Marsh was an excellent mother who loved both Stan and his sister Shelly unconditionally. She support his musical dreams, she would buy their merch, like their songs online. She supported this too. She extended his curfew when he wanted to take Craig on epic dates and adventures. She loved her son more than she knew how to love something. 

“Thanks mom, I’ll nudge him awake when it's all finished.” He turned and kissed the side of Craig’s head gently. Craig stirred in his arms and blinked his big dark eyes sleepily at him. He made a soft breathy noise that made Stan’s chest clench and nestled deeper in his arms. 

“Time to wake up sleepy baby.” Stan murmured in his hair and kissed his closed eyelids. Sleepy baby, he would remember that, that sounded like an excellent idea for a song. Craig hugged him tighter and stirred. He would wake up, he would eat the delicious potato soup and grilled brie sandwiches Stan’s mother made. He curled up in bed with Stan that night, his head tucked under Stan’s chin. He knew their time was coming to an end, Craig was thinking about college and that thought kept him up at night, but he had this. These soft moments where the world was the two of them and no one else. Where he played the acoustic guitar for him and drank cocoa, listened to music. Took naps together and tried not to worry about the future. The future was vast and ever changing. You think you knew one thing, but it was another. There were constants in his life. His love for music, the way it influenced everything he did. The support of the people around him. Kyle, Kenny, Craig, Lola and his mother. They cheered his creative spirit, collaborated on things with him. They told him he could do anything and he felt he could. His love for Craig. Craig was in his heart, his head and his music. The background on his phone, the words in his songs. The feeling in his heart when he looked into his starry dark eyes and kissed his soft mouth. He would do anything for one moment with him, any moment with him. He couldn’t let those moments slip through his fingers. He couldn’t worry about tomorrow when all they had was today.

Craig was accepted to every single school he applied to. He had all the acceptance letters sitting in his email inbox and he showed them all to Stan. Token was accepted to Brown, Tweek to University of Colorado Denver with Craig. Lola to study music at Emory in Georgia. They all were going to college, except for Stan who never applied and Kenny who couldn't afford it. He didn't care about school, he cared about this band. They were getting popular, their shirts consistently sold out, their music downloaded from band camp. They were generating real indie buzz in Colorado and played a few gigs in Denver a month. Their weekends were loading up the van Cartman borrowed from a teammate on the wrestling team. They would cart their equipment themselves, they set up their own stage, they negotiated their own terms with club owners. Craig sold their now two t shirt designs and one hoodie. They were looking to branch out into vinyl recordings and posters. They broke even some nights, they made a profit other ones. They were becoming a real band, a band that could really do something.

“We've gotten some real buzz, I mean, we’re not just playing house parties anymore.” Lola was addressing padded envelopes with Craig to people outside of Colorado who had bought their shirts. The envelopes were a tropical blue with lemons printed on them, very festive. Craig and Lola always included a handwritten note thanking the purchaser, both had neat perfect script. Kenny set the box down to take to the post office, promising he would do so after school, but before his shift at Dairy Dale’s, one of those little ice cream stands that pop up in the spring. It was daunting work, but there was this buzz of excitement in the air. People were buying their merch, people outside of Colorado. Lola handed her phone to Tweek to take Craig’s and hers picture so they could put it up on the band’s official instagram, thanking their fans. Lola always looked cute and you could only see Craig’s profile as he wrote out another note. His bangs were in his eyes as he was bent over slightly, their fans always commented on Craig in their photos. The unofficial sixth member of the band. 

“Hold up, we just got an email from When We Were Young.” Stan was looking at his phone. When We Were Young was a bigger indie band from Denver. Their sound was half The Hold Steady and Half Sunny Day Real Estate. They were just signed to a bigger indie label, Sub Pop and were planning a tour. They needed two openers and had already recruited the Peach Trees. They needed the first opener and liked what they heard from their band camp page. They wanted them to join them this summer. The tour would start in July and go through October. Through everyone’s first month of school. This was it, this was their shot to go from house parties to a paying audience. Stan showed the email to the band and they all looked at each other.

“My parents would freak if I blew off school!” Tweek shrieked pulling Craig’s legs across his lap. “Its way too much pressure.” Lola and Token exchanged a look, Token had the most to lose, already accepted to an Ivy League school. But the look in their eyes, Stan recognised it. It was the look of nothing to lose. He had the same look when he stood outside of Craig’s window and played that Joyce Manor song. They had to take a chance, this was their beginning.

“I want to do the tour.” Kenny was the first to speak up. He had this fierce determination that Stan had never seen in him before. That sparked something in Token and Lola, they wanted to do the tour as well. They looked at Tweek and Craig, there was no pressure either way. Stan would never want to force Craig to do something he didn't want to do, but he wanted him there. He wanted him at his side, seeing his pretty face in the crowd as they played on their first tour. But Craig was smart, he deserved to attend the college of his choice, he worked so hard through high school. He would never take that from him.

“I want to go too.” Craig’s monotone was the sweetest thing he had ever heard. Their eyes met and he gave Stan a little closed mouth smile. He looked over at Tweek with his big dark eyes and Stan would be lying if he said he wasn’t jealous that they could still communicate without saying anything. Tweek and Craig much like Wendy and him had a very chill breakup. They knew it was an elementary school thing and they worked better as friends as they grew up. They stayed good friends, Tweek and Craig were best friends, close as ever. 

“Fine, I'm in as well, but Im saying my parents will freak out.” Tweek exchanged a little smile with Craig and they were in. They were doing, they were going on a grand adventure. Stan laced his fingers together with Craig’s and squeezed gently. 

“I’ll go with you to tell your parents if you come with me to tell mine?” Craig asked him later as he walked him home. They were on the Tucker residence porch, he took Craig’s other hand in his. Craig’s parents were one of the better set of parents in South Park. He remembered them when they were kids Laura baking them cookies, taking them to Whistling Willie’s. They enrolled Craig in viola lessons when he wanted them, cheered him on in whatever it was he was interested in. They cheered him on concerning all the colleges he applied to. He really wanted to believe that they would support this too.

“I really want to go on tour with Stan and his band! I'm doing this and you can’t stop me. Im eighteen years old, stop treating me like Im a child!” Craig’s voice very rarely ever raised. He was very good at controlling his tone and his temper. It never really paid to lose control, you’ll never get what you want. Being angry with someone always comes with a price. Whether its a loss of trust, a friend you damaged beyond repair. It always came with a price Craig was never willing to pay. But he was clearly gambling with it now, his voice raise, emotion mixing into that monotone. 

“You're going to college, end of discussion.” Thomas Tucker was a reasonable man much like his son. He tried to see everything in a calm fashion. But he wasn’t letting Craig throw his life away for a boy he had been seeing for two years. “Go up to your room and cool off, we’ll talk about this in the morning.” He waved him off and Stan heard stomping steps up the stairs. He heard him take a deep breath outside the door and come in. 

“I don't think it went that well.” He trailed off as he let Stan tug him into his arms. “We’ll try again at a later date.” He wrapped his skinny arms loosely around the back of Stan’s neck and pulled himself so he was straddling Stan’s lap facing him. Stan didn’t say anything, he thought Craig wouldn’t want him to. He just kissed him softly on the mouth, trying to kiss the bad day away. Craig closed his dark eyes and rested his forehead on his. He ran his big calloused hands up and down Craig’s bony back, over the little dips and divots of his spine, the sloping bones of his shoulder blades. He slipped his hands under his sweater, under his t shirt. His back felt so soft, the skin felt like something that was otherworldly. He used that word to describe Craig a lot. Soft skin, pretty black hair, big eyes. He was something he dreamed up, he wasn’t real sometimes. 

“Take it off.” Craig’s voice was soft and monotone, it rarely showed emotion but Stan could read him. Craig lifted his arms and he pulled off his big navy blue and white striped sweater. Then the worn down, soft white t shirt. He had never gotten this far, they had always kissed with all their clothes on, never rushing each other. He kissed down Craig’s throat, nipping at the skin there. Bruises rose so easily and so pretty, adorning his neck like a pretty pearl necklace. He sunk his teeth into his collarbones, leaving little marks there. Craig would look in the mirror tomorrow morning and know he was there. He laid him on the bed and kissed him like the world was ending. It very well could end, there never was a guarantee for tomorrow. His hands slightly shook as he went to unbutton Craig’s skinny jeans. He was nervous and Craig was trembling. This was new and unexplored, mapping out Craig’s body laid before him.

“Are you nervous?” He asked Craig willing his voice not to shake. He was a virgin, what if he messed up? What if he messed up everything and he disappeared from his life like a hallucination? They both shook slightly, Craig’s body trembling under his big calloused hands. If he had learned anything this year, it was take a chance, you’ll enjoy the outcome.

“Yes, I've never done this before.” Craig looked up at him. Craig was a virgin too, surprising as he had two boyfriends before Stan. He was saving himself for something special, for someone special. Stan Marsh was his special person. It was big and real and everything he had asked for was here before him. Craig wasn’t some fantasy he had before bed to jerk off to or a wet dream he had back in middle school. He was a person, he was his person and he was here and he wanted him. He wanted to make this good for him. He felt a soft hand pass him the lube. He would make this good for Craig, he could do that. He opened him up with gentle fingers and gentle kisses and soft words of love. When he thrusted forward for that first time, he heard Craig whimper and he groaned. It felt like it lasted forever and it wasn’t long enough. Craig’s warm body, it was tight and it was perfect. He was the only person to ever have him like this and would be the only person to ever have him again. He wanted to be the only man to ever have Craig Tucker. He dreamed of this moment and all the moments after this. He dreamed of Craig writing Craig Marsh on things. He was a hopeless romantic at heart and he wanted to keep this beautiful angel all to himself. 

Craig came with a soft cry, he let him go first. He made sure it was his orgasm first. He didn’t even care if he came, he wanted to hear Craig come over and over again. When it was his turn, a groan of Craig’s name on his lips and he buried his face in the junction between Craig’s shoulder and throat. They laid together in the quietness of knowing everything would change between them. They had sex, they had been waiting for sex, for some big special occasion. But there were no such things as big special occasions, they just wanted to be together and that was enough. Stan gently rolled off of him and pulled him into his arms. He wrapped his arms around his thin waist and buried his nose in soft black hair. He had never slept better than he did that night.

He was in the little stand with Kenny working their shift. Kenny had been here four years, the same job since he was fourteen years old. Stan for two and they were saving every penny they made for tour. He was making Ike Broflovski and his two friends peanut butter blizzards and Kenny was manning the window. Kenny did well with customers, he was charming and handsome. He heard Kenny talking to someone, play flirting. 

“You want the discount for being sexy?” He teased. Stan heard the other person scoff and ask for Stan. He recognized that voice. That nasal monotone of his baby. 

“My dad said I can go on tour with you.” He reached through the window and grabbed Stan’s hands. “I have to check in everyday and we’re definitely having the college talk when I get home, but I can go.” He squeezed his hands gently. The last piece of the puzzle, he needed Craig there. “Oh wait, can I get a discount for being sexy? I want ice cream, but have no money.” He looked back around at Kenny hopefully.

“I’ll buy you an ice cream for being sexy.” One of Ike’s gangly awkward thirteen year old friends piped up. He siddled over there thinking he was the man as most thirteen year olds do. “Anything you want, I still have five dollars from my allowance left over.” He showed them five ones and Stan heard Kenny burst into laughter.

“You’re like nine, go away.” Craig gently pushed him away by his face and Stan heard Ike scoff. “Give me ice cream Kenny. I drove all the way over here.” He blew Stan a kiss and Kenny handed him an oreo blizzard. 

“I already made it princess, you’re welcome. Give a good review on Yelp.” He teased. Craig gave him the finger before giving Stan one last kiss before getting back into Laura Tucker’s Ford Escape. Now that Craig was in, Stan couldn’t wait until July. A few more months.

The months leading up to tour seemed to drag on, knowing what was on the other side. Classes seemed to drag, no one wanted to attend graduation. All they wanted was their shot to live their dreams. They practised everyday, hours a day. Had their set list down, had their t shirts and hoodies ready to sell. This was their beginning, this was the chance they knew they had to take. They packed up the beat up van Craig’s dad fixed up for them with new parts, a fresh coat of paint and a little love and hope. It wasn’t the tour bus of their dreams with a shower and a fancy television. It was a big cargo van with three rows of seats and it would be their home for the next few months. Stan Marsh looked up at the stage of his graduation day, watched Wendy Testaburger make her valedictorian speech and Kyle go after her with his salutatorian speech. The people he loved the most at one point. He looked over at Kenny and smiled. They were going to live their dreams, he wasn’t afraid for the first time in his life. He wasn’t doing this for anyone else, this was a selfish thing, a thing that he kept for himself. The part that had doubts weren’t reserved for him, it was for them. Was his wasting Token’s, Craig’s and Tweek’s time? Should he have let them attend college? He couldn’t think of that, he couldn’t let that fester in his brain and poison their opportunity with doubt.

His arm was around Craig’s slight shoulder at Clyde Donovan’s graduation party. Craig was talking to Clyde about the tour and Clyde had this look on his face. This look of pure loss and Stan could understand that. Two of his best friends were leaving that summer and wouldn’t be there to see him off to U of C Denver. He untangled himself from Craig to let Clyde gather him in his arms and hug him tightly. Craig wrapped his skinny arms around Clyde and stroked over his brown hair as he wept on his shoulder.

“Dont cry.” He heard him murmur quietly. “I’ll call you everyday, I wont forget about you I promise.” He used his thumbs to wipe Clyde’s tears off his cheeks. They made a pair. Craig was so slight and gangly and awkward. Clyde had grown as tall as Craig, built like the football player he was. Solid in the shoulders and chest, slightly soft around the middle. But so little had changed between them. Clyde was still soft, he was still sensitive and he cared so much about so many things. Craig was quieter, harder to read. He took care of Clyde and Clyde took care of him too in his own way. Stan felt this ache in his chest, this longing for a goodbye like this with his own crew. Kyle was his best friend, but he couldn’t imagine a scene like this. He was the more emotional of the two, he always had been and it was ridiculous to pretend he wasn’t. He loved so many things, he loved strongly and passionately and he fell so hard for things, for people. He loved Wendy fiercely and when they were finally off for good, it hurt him so deeply, he never forgot about that. When he started to fall for Craig, it was like the first time he saw Wendy all over again. Craig had always been there, he just was seen in this crystalizing clearness that brought everything into focus. Kyle had been at his side, even when he made things hard for them. He hoped when he went off to Cal Tech he didn’t forget about him.

“Dude, you know I’ll miss you both.” They were sitting on the hood of Kyle’s new Subaru, a graduation gift from him his parents. The band left tomorrow and Kyle, Kenny, Stan and Cartman wanted one last night. They had 40 oz beers in paper bags like irresponsible children, out at Stark’s pond watching the night sky. He had been out here so many times with Craig watching the night sky and holding hands. It was a very different vibe when you saying goodbye to your childhood best friends than watching the stars with your boyfriend.

“We’re only gone until October, then maybe we can come up and see you at Brown.” Stan looked over at him. Kyle looked ten years old in that moment, same green hat, same wide green eyes. Same wistful smile. 

They all knew they would go their separate ways. Kyle was meant for academics, Cartman for scheming. Kenny was always insightful, he always knew where he should be. Stan was their wildcard. He never quite knew what he wanted until music. Now it was all here, laid out in front of the four of them. Adulthood on the horizon, childhood behind them and they were somewhere in between. Kenny raised his 40 oz and they all clinked bottles. It was a makeshift toast, no one had insightful words for them. But they had this moment, this feeling that everything was in their grasp, everything was changing in this bittersweet way it did when you started to feel those growing pains. For the first time in his life, Stan didn’t fear change, it excited him to see where he was going and what was next. 

Stan drove the first shift, their first show was in Salt Lake City Utah. Kenny was in the passenger seat next to him, playing dj. Tweek and Craig behind them and Lola and Token taking up the last bench. They had their instruments, their merch, their clothing and toiletries. They had everything they needed to last three months on the road in a shitty little van that was all theirs. They sang along to the various mixes Kenny made for them. Alternating between the bands they had all grown to love to rap mixes that Lola was shockingly good at. Sugary girl pop to lonely road anthems. They made it to the first venue with adrenaline pumping through their veins. This was it, this was the first show. This was their first chance to prove to everyone that they could do this. They set up their stage, their tuned their instruments. Craig set up the merch table and arranged their things so artfully. The lock box was out, he locked eyes with Stan as they took the stage and gave him a little closed mouth smile. 

“We’re Stars for Astronomers and this is our first show on the tour.” Stan said nervously. They started with two originals and then did a cover of Star’s One More Night, he traded vocals with Lola. They always ended their set with their most popular song, the Boy With the Stars in His Eyes. Stan closed his eyes for a moment when he sang it, it meant so much to him. He opened them and looked across the small little venue at Craig and he could see those big dark eyes shining. He heard something he had never heard before, the audience was singing along. They knew the words and something in him just knew this would be ok. It would be hard, traveling and touring always was. But they knew this song, the song he wrote for Craig, the song he wanted to sing to him everyday for the rest of their lives. Craig was singing it too, he was always their biggest fan.

“Thank you everyone, we love you. Please check out our band camp page and our merch. Tip the boy with the stars in his eyes.” Stan ended their set and quickly helped the band break down their stage set. He all but ran to Craig, who was selling t shirts and hoodies and this was real. People liked them, they were giving them money. After We Were Young’s set, they all packed up the van, counted the tips and had enough to stop for a burger. Everyone was still so high from their first set by the time they reached McDonalds, they all screamed and jumped into a group hug in the parking lot. They ate their chicken nuggets and burgers and fries and shakes with this feeling of pure contentment. Nothing was wrong in the universe right now, everything was as it should be.

Craig was driving with Stan in the passenger seat. He took one of Craig’s hands and kissed his knuckles gently. He was so overwhelmed with love for this strange human next to him. A boy who had giant eyes, so big and brown with the longest lashes he had ever seen. Who loved the stars and science and animals. Who gave up five different colleges to join them in a beat up, cramped van to chase their dream. The boy with the stars in his eyes, he never wanted to live a day where he didnt love Craig.

“Do you have any regrets my little love?” He asked Craig as they listened to Lunar Vacation on low, so the rest could take their turn sleeping in the back. Lola had her head on Kenny’s shoulder and Tweek and Token slumbered in the back of the van. The sky was so clear out there, driving to Nevada. The sky was so beautiful, vast and never ending. The road was quiet, no one else really on the highway except them and their tourmates. It was this vulnerable moment of pure awe that almost overwhelmed him with the joy of it. He had never felt like this, his chest felt like it was going to burst with love for this gorgeous, wonderful human boy and this huge life event that he had just experienced. He felt tears prick the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill down his cheeks.

“No, not for one second.” Craig’s voice was monotone and nasal. He looked over at Stan with those giant eyes and smiled at him. They still had so much time on this tour, this was day one. He wondered if they would ever get used to it, if it would always feel this overwhelming. In a way, he hoped so. He liked feeling like this. To the limit of his emotions.

But as all good things do, soon things weren’t as rosy tinted. By the time they reached the midwest, they had grown weary. Only being able to stay in hotels sometimes, they got used to parking the van and sleeping in parking lots like nomads. They took quick rinse offs when they could and when they could sleep in beds or take long hot showers, they gobbled it like kids on halloween with candy. The tips they made sometimes helped them along, but mostly they relied on crying on the phone to their parents, someone’s “emergency” credit card and the kindness of the people they met along the way. In Omaha, a group of college girls let them crash on their couches and use their shower. If When We Were Young got a hotel room, they would let them use their showers while they were out drinking.

“They have two rooms and there are six of use, three people to a room to use the shower.” Token gave them their marching orders. Tweek, Token and Lola took one room and Kenny, Craig and Stan took the other. Kenny gave them a knowing smile as they walked down the hall towards the drummer’s room.

I’ll take the first shower so you two can have your privacy.” He gave them his charming gap toothed smile and Craig nudged his shoulder with his. 

“Kenny we’re not going to fuck in someone else’s shower.” He had all his toiletries in a neat little basket and his clothes hung over his arm. Stan just wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer. He wasn’t disagreeing with Craig, but it had been so long. They had so little privacy and their sex life consisted of a quick dry hump in the corner of a music venue or the time Craig silently jerked him off in the last row of seats in the van under a worn blanket. He was grateful for any little bit, but he missed actually fucking craig. 

The shower was so warm and the bathroom felt so cozy with the steam rising all around. Craig handed him a bottle of shower gel to wash over his back. They weren’t going to shower together either, but here Stan was, his hands going over Craig’s warm wet skin.

“What if we were quick and quiet?” He nipped at the knob at the top of his spine. His skin was so warm and it smelled so good and it had been so long. He put his hands on Craig’s skinny hips and pulled him flush against him. He could feel Craig pretending to mull it over, but he knew he had him.

“Quick and quiet. And we dont tell Kenny, I hate when he’s right and smug about it.” Craig turned so he was facing Stan and used his shoulders for leverage. He hopped up and wrapped his long legs around his waist. He took Craig against the shower wall, conditioner for makeshift lube, with his hand over his mouth to keep him quiet. It was a quick paced, it felt like it lasted minutes, it had been so long. He bit down on Craig’s shoulder as he came to keep himself quiet. He would have another pretty set of bruises on his tanned skin. The heat of the shower made his skin flesh so lovely and his hair looked inky dark. The water caught in his lashes, making them long and clumped together. He heard Craig catching his breath, burying his face in Stan’s wet chest. He slid his shaky legs down from his waist and looked like a newborn fawn. 

“Now we actually shower. It's so nice to feel hot water again.” Craig let the water beat down on him and closed his eyes for a moment. When they were dressed and coming out of the bathroom, they saw Kenny lounging on the bed, flipping through the tv channels.

“I love when Im right.” He turned to them with his smuggest smile and when Craig wasn’t looking, Stan exchanged a very subtle high five with him. They were still teenagers after all, the maturity level really could have been better. Craig rolled his eyes at both of them, but Kenny was right. He couldn’t dispute that.

Indiana was Stan’s favourite show of the tour. He was fiddling with his guitar when a pretty brown haired young woman walked over to him.

“So this is your band turd?” He turned and saw his sister grinning at him. Shelly had lost the braces year ago, their relationship was much better now that they were older and she wasn’t living at home. He pulled her into a hug, she surprised him. He knew she stayed in Indiana to apply to law school and work at a law firm as an intern. He just didn’t expect her to take time out of her very adult life to see his little pop punk band.

“I'm so happy to see you! Come sit next Craig for the show, you can just chill there if you want.” She looked over at Craig Tucker, her brother’s boyfriend, the boy he gushed over in every email. He looked shy and awkward, like he didn't know what to say to her. She remembered a boy in a blue chullo hat who flipped everyone off and was a snot nosed brat. This person seemed well behaved and quiet. Maturity really changes people, she herself could attest to that. She watched her baby brother sing all these songs that he poured his heart into. She watched Craig Tucker watching her baby brother, his eyes were so big and he looked completely starry eyed. He looked so smitten. He looked over at her and had the biggest smile on his face.

“Can you watch the table for a moment?” He asked her softly and she couldn’t help but agree. She watched him throw his skinny body into her brother’s arms and kiss him all over his face. Craig Tucker, stoic little brat, the boy with the weird deadpan nasal voice. He looked so loved up, her brother spun him around like he weighed nothing.

“We’re Stars for Astronomers, check out our instagram for official dates and now I have to kiss my boy goodnight.” He wrapped his arms around Craig Tucker and kissed him sweetly on the mouth. He was in love, she was happy for him. She had never really seen Stan so content. He was always a boy who felt too much. Had to be a problem solver, saw the world differently than most ten year olds. He deserved to be young and stupidly happy in love.

“Hey Shelly, can I ask you something?” Stan asked her as they manned the merch table. He let Craig go have a drink with the band. He caught his big brown eyes and smiled at him. Craig gave him his real grin, braces free now.

“Of course squirt.” He towered her now, but he always her squirt. She tousled his hair under his black hipster beanie. Stan thought he was so cool, but she saw through that.

“You clearly love college, you stayed in Indiana over most summers. You’re going to law school next year. Am I depriving my bandmates of the same thing? I think about it sometimes, that I cost them something for my dream.” He looked over at them. Kenny with his arm slung around Craig’s slight shoulder. Craig and Tweek deep in discussion about something, every so often he would see them laugh. Lola trying to get Token to try her girly fruit flavoured drink. They looked happy. But were they happy? Was anyone really happy? Or are we just happy in the moment? These were probably questions that were bigger than Stan Marsh himself.

“You did good Stan, you got out of South Park, you’re seeing the country. College is always there when you return. There’s never a rush you know? Just love what you have now. It took me a long time to get here, think like this. I worried too much back home, I was unhappy. Find what makes you happy and follow that. You don't know where it will take you.” Shelly Marsh was such an angry girl when she was younger. Now she was here, following her own dreams. She wanted that for her little brother.

“Thanks Shel.” He took money from a drunk twenty year old for a hoodie. The tip jar looked good tonight, maybe hotel level good. 

“Come crash with me tonight, free place to stay, food, shower, whatever.” She looked at his scruffy little band, maybe they were all in need of a good meal, a shower. Definitely sleep in a bed.

Stan shared the bed with Craig in her guest room with Kenny and Lola on the pull out couch. Token took the couch in the living room and Tweek offered to take the blow up mattress. It was soft and they weren’t sleeping sitting up and that was a plus. It had been so long since Stan had slept in a bed. He looked over at Craig in the dark, all nestled underneath the sheets. He reached out and touched his dark hair, pushing it off his forehead.

“Go to sleep Stanley.” He murmured. He opened his sleepy eyes and reached for Stan with greedy grabby hands. “Who knows when we’ll get to sleep in a bed next, enjoy it.” He curled up under Stan’s chin. 

“Im sorry baby, get some sleep.” He ran his fingertips over his curved doll cheeks. He was thinking too loud, Craig could always tell when he couldn’t sleep. He felt his soft hands with his long fingers reach up and trace over his jawline, touching the corners of his mouth. He leaned down and kissed Craig’s fingertips. He closed his eyes and sleep eventually came. It was an uneasy, fitful sleep. His brain was too full tonight, he couldn’t get it to shut down right. When he woke up in the morning, shelly was gone, but she left them food, told them they could take what they wanted from her cupboard. They ate cereal and drank juice, real juice from glasses. Took showers, watched tv. It was so normal, but he didn’t realize how much he needed to relax.

“If we werent in my sister’s place, I would have fucked you all morning on that bed.” He whispered to Craig as he packed them a bag of snacks. He saw the smile playing at the corner of Craig’s lips. 

“Would you have?” He put three pears in the bag. He looked over at Stan with those dark eyes and those soft pink lips. Stan grabbed his hand and lead him into the guest bedroom. One quick one, just one. They could be fast, they certainly were fast when they first started having sex. The pandora’s box of physical affection. When you lose the fear of being intimate and all of a sudden, everything seems new and exciting. They kept their shirts on and took off their pants. It was quick and exciting, it was still so exciting with Craig. The way his breath hitched, the way he wrapped his long legs around him, squeezing him in. The way it felt to be inside Craig Tucker, like heaven on earth. The first thrust and how Craig would sigh softly. It was still everything to Stan, like the first song of a set or writing his best words down. A soft rush of something. When it was over, the moment of the final release. When Craig came with a soft cry and he groaned his name, he loved that moment too. The come down, when they held each other and fell asleep. But there was no falling asleep. They took their shower together, they got dressed. They loaded up the van and he texted Shelly a goodbye and a thank you for so many things. 

Life on the road was hard, it wasn’t like he imagined it. But he still felt the rush every time they were on stage. He felt the rush when he looked across the venue and saw his boy selling their merch. Everything was still so fresh and so new and so exciting. He wouldn’t want this any other way. 

“Let's get going to Chicago.” Stan Marsh buckled himself in the front seat of their beat up van. His baby next to him, tossing a pear back to Tweek. His childhood best friend Kenny in the back next to Tweek, laughing about who knows what. Lola and Token deep in conversation in the back, ready to get them where they needed to go. This wasn’t easy, they made sacrifices. They would continue to make sacrifices, but this was everything. They were living their dreams, he was young and in love. In that moment, everything was right, everything felt like it should. 

He reached over and brought Craig’s knuckles up to his lips, kissing over each one gently. The Chicago skyline in sight. They were on their way.

**Author's Note:**

> This is au and my first staig fic. I hope I did them some justice.


End file.
